Adjustable chairs



Sept. 24, 1957 Filed Jan. 6, 1956 G. LELONG ADJUSTABLE CHAIRS 3Sheeis-Sheet 1 P 1957 s. LELONG 2,807,311

ADJUSTABLE CHAIRS Filed Jan. 6, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 24, 1957 G.LELONG ADJUSTABLE cmms 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 6, 1956 United StatesPatent 2,807,311 ADJUSTABLE CHAIRS Georges Lelong, Paris, FranceApplication January 6, 1956, Serial No. 557,756 Claims priority,application France January 1.3, H55 2 Claims. (Cl. 155- -115) Thepresent invention relates to adjustable chairs, that is to. say suchthat the position of the chair seat with respect to the ground and theposition of the seatand of the back. I of said chair. with respect toeach other can be changed at will to obtain at least two diiferentadjustments. Oneobject of my invention is to provide a chair of thistype which is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice fromthe point of view of simplicity and low cost of manufacture.

Another objectof my invention is to provide a chair of the abovementioned type which can be used either as a simple chair or as anarm-chair, owing to the provision of foldable arms.

Another object of my invention is to provide a chair of the abovementioned type which can be juxtaposed to other similar chairs so as toform a sofa or settee.

The adjustable chair according. to my invention is made of two units, towit a rigid one, including the back of the chair and the front legs, anda deformable one, including the rear legs, fixed to each other, and theseat, pivoted, approximately along its rear side, to said rear legs, therigid unit and therear legs being pivotallyv assembled together about anaxis parallel to said rear sideof the seat and located not far below it.The top portions of the front legs are guided along lines fixed withrespect to the seat and extending substantially alongthe lateral sidesthereof. Finally, means are provided for fixing the rear legs. in anyofat least two diiferent positions, at will, with respect to said rigidunit, shifting from one of said positions to another one being obtainedby relative pivoting of said two parts about theabove mentioned axis.

Preferred embodiments of my invention will be hereinafter described withreferenceto the accompanying drawin'gs, given inerelyby way of exampleand in which."

7 Fig. l is a separate elevational view diagrammatically showing theabove mentioned rigid unit of a chair accord ing to my invention.

Fig. 2 is :a similar view showingithe corresponding'demable u it; L1?

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 1 and showing modifications,respectively.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view showing a chair according to myinvention, constituted by the assembly of two units such as shown byFigs. 1 and 2 respectively.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the same chair in anotherposition of adjustment.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the structure of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 diagrammatically shows the arrangement of folding arms to bemounted on a chair according to my invention.

Figs. 9 and 10 are views similar to Figs. 5 and 6, but corresponding toanother embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a chair according to my invention madeaccording to the embodiment diagrammatically illustrated by Figs. 5 and6.

Fig. 12 is a horizontal sectional view of the left hand side of thechair of Fig. 11 by a plane passing through ice the arm of said chair(said arm being supposed to be folded back against the back of thechair).

Fig. 13 is an exploded view of the righthand side of the chair, showingthe parts as they are before assembly thereof.

A chair according to my invention is constituted by the assembly of twounits as shown by Figs. 1 and 2 respectively. One of these units(Fig. 1) is rigid (this term meaning that said unit does not includeparts pivotable or slidable with respect to one another, but not thatthe unit is incapable of being more or less resiliently deformed whenstressed). It includes a back 1, two front legs 2 and bars 3interconnecting said back with said legs. The deformable unit includestwo rear legs 4, fixed with respect to each other and a seat 5 hinged tosaid rear legs 4 about an axis P parallel to the rear side of seat 5'and located close thereto. V

These two units are provided with cooperating pivoting assembly means 01and 02 so that when they are assembled together, the rear legs 4 arepivoted to the rigid unit 1- 3 about an axis 0 parallel to axis P. I

Each lateral side of seat 5 is provided with an oblique slot 6 in whichis guided a finger Q rigid with the corresponding front leg 2 andextending horizontally from a point thereof close to its top end. V 7

Each of the lateral sides of seat 5 carries, pivoted thereto about a pin8, a locking member 7 a portion of the lower edge of which runs alongguiding slot'6 and is provided with oblique notches 10 adapted tocooperate with fingers Q. A spring 9 fixed at one end tothe seat and atthe other endto the locking member 7 urges said member downwardly.

The front ends of members 7 are interconnected" by a bar 11 runningunder seat 5 and close to the front side thereof. I i

It will be readily understood that'theposition of the rear legs 4 withrespect to the rigid unit 1-'--'2-3' and of the seat 5 with respect torear legs 5 and to front legs 2 will be determined when triangle OPQ isdetermined,'and will be modified when this triangle is itself modified."Now the side OQ of this triangle. which extends between two pointsfixed with respe'ct'to the rigid unit 1' 2-'-3'is of constant length.Likewise, side OP, whichextends between two points fixed with respect tothe'rearlegs 4, is also of constant length. Now, when. finger: Q isshifted from one notch 10 to another one, this obvionsly'clianges sidePQ and modifies triangle OPQ.

Therefore, in order to change the position and adjust ment of the chairit suifices to lift bar 11 to disengage finger 11 from the notch 10 inwhich it is housed and to bring said finger opposite another notch (forinstance by urging back 1 rearwardly orfrontwardly with respect to seat5). When bar 11 is released spring 9 pullslocking member 7 into activeposition. The chair is now adjusted differently.

Figs. 3 and 4 show modifications in the shape of the rigid unit 1-23.

Figs. 9 and 10 show another embodiment of my invention according towhich modifications of triangle OPQ is obtained by varying the angle onbetween sides OP and OQ (instead of varying side PQ as in the firstdescribed embodiment) In the construction of Figs. 9 and 10, the partsdesignated by reference numerals 1 to 6 inclusive are similar to thoseabove described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6. But the rear legs 4 areprovided with upward extensions 4a pivotally connected, at their upperends 4b, to arms 12 movably carried by back I. Said arms 12 are providedwith pins 13 slidable in slots 14 provided in the lateral sides of theback 1.

Arms 12 may occupy either of two positions, to wit 3 a folded orretracted one (Fig. 9) for which the extensions 4a of the legs (i. e.line P) make an angle a with line 0Q (fixed with respect to rigid unit1-2-3), and an unfolded'position (Fig. 10) forwhich lines OP and 0Q makea difierent angle a' with each other.

In the construction of Fig. 11 which is practically the same as that ofFigs. 5 and 6, arms 15 are foldably mounted on the sides of back 1. Fig.8 diagrammatically shows said arms 15 in active position in dotted linesand in folded position in solid lines. Arm 15 pivots with respect to theback 1 about an axis 16. The rear face of back 1 carries an abutment 17against which a metal fitting 15a carried by the rear end of arm comesto bear when the arm 15 is in active position. When arm 15 is pivotedbackwardly to be located along the side of the back 1, its edge 15b(Fig. 8) comes to bear against abutment 17.

Figs. 12 and 13 illustrate how the parts forming my chair are to beassembled together.

The bent bars forming the front legs 2 and the connecting means 3 aredisposed in parallel vertical planes (Fig. 13 shows the elements on theright hand side of the chair). Bar 3 carries, integral therewith, avertical extension 3a intended to be housed in the back 1.

A transverse rod 18 is placed between the front legs 2. It is providedwith small shoulders 18a which limit the distance between legs 2 to thedesired value. The rear legs 4 are mounted in suitable position so thatthe. pins Q rigid with bars 3-3a are located opposite correspondingholes provided in the rear legs 4.

The two elements 2--3-*3a on either side are then moved toward eachother so as to apply legs 2 against the shoulders 18a of rod 18.Simultaneously, pins 0 fit in their housings provided in the rear legs4.

Then the seat 5, with the locking members 7-11 mounted therein, isengaged on the parts assembled as above described, the fingers Q carriedby front legs 2 being inserted in slots 6. The front part of the chairis then assembled together.

The back 1 of the chair is then slipped over extensions 3a so that theseextensions 3a fit in housings 19 of the back.

To assemblerear legs 4 with the seat 5, hinges 20 (Fig. 11) carried bythe rear wall of the seat are welded to the bar 21 interconnectinglegs.4.

Arms 15 are provided with threaded rods 22 secured therein by means ofscrews 23. The portions of back 1 located opposite said rods 22 areprovided with iron fittings 24 housed therein. Said iron fittings areprovided with inner screw-threads, to accommodate threaded rods 22.Washers 25 are interposed between each arm 15 and the corresponding sideof the back 1.

Arms 15 are mounted by screwing their threaded rods 22 into the ironfittings 24 until the arms are adjacent to In a general manner, while Ihave, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to be practicaland efficient embodiments of my invention, it should be well understoodthat I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes madein the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departingfrom the principle of the present invention as comprehended within thescope of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

l. A chair which comprises, in combination, a rigid unit including aback, two front legs and means for connecting said front legs with saidback in fixed position with respect thereto, a deformable unit includingtwo rear legs fixed with respect to each other and a seat pivotallyconnected to said rear legs about a horizontal transverse axis parallelto the line of intersection of the general plane of said two rear legswith the general plane of said seat, means for pivotally connecting saidrear legs with said rigid unit about an axis parallel to said firstmentioned axis and located near the lower end of said back and near theupper ends of said rear legs, said seat having two vertical lateralsides each provided with an oblique slot, fingers carried by said frontlegs at points thereof the sides of the back respectively. Then theabutments 5 17 (in fact constituted by the ends of a transverse bar) arefixed by means of screws.

close to their top end portions slidably engaged in said slotsrespectively, levers pivoted to said lateral sides of said seat aboutaxes parallel to said two first mentioned axes adapted to come alongsaid slots respectively, the lower edges of said levers being providedwith at least two notches and spring means for urging said leversdownwardly so as to lock said fingers in the desired notches.

2. A chair according to claim 1, in which said oblique slots areconstituted by grooves provided in the inner walls of said lateral sidesof the seat and said fingers are horizontal and parallel to said axes,further including a transverse rod parallel to said fingers andsubstantially in line therewith, the ends of said rod being engaged inthe top ends of said front legs, shoulders carried by said rod ends tokeep said front legs at the desired distance from each other, said backincluding two elongated housings parallel and close to the sides of saidback, said means for connecting said front legs with said back includingtwo bars rigid with said front legs but transverse thereto extendingrearwardly toward the sides of said back respectively, and two barsintegral with said last mentioned bars respectively extending upwardlyfrom the rear ends thereof, said upwardly extending bars fitting in saidelongated housings of said back.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS847,880 Barker Mar. 19, 1907 2,717,027 Thatcher Sept. 6, 1955 FOREIGNPATENTS 184,694 Austria Feb. 10, 1956 203,913 Great Britain Sept. 20,1923

